The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) posted the recall notice late Sunday, urging consumers to check their homes for the Good Boucher branded ground beef. The agency found the deadly E. coli O157:H7 species when it tested samples of the beef.

“Check to see if you have the products in your home. If the products are in your home, do not consume them,” according to the CFIA recall notice. “Food contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick.”

No illnesses had been confirmed in connection to the recalled ground beef as of Sunday. The implicated beef, packaged for GoodFood, could have been distributed nationwide in Canada, according to the recall notice. It was definitely distributed in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Quebec.

Additional products could be recalled if the CFIA finds that they include the ground beef from Good Boucher. The recalled ground beef can be identified by looking for the following label information:

Brand Name

Common Name

Size

Code(s) on Product

UPC

Good Boucher

Lean Ground Beef

285 g

Lot: 18-03-07
Best before: 2018-03-21

None

Good Boucher

Lean Ground Beef

510 g

Lot: 18-03-05
Best before: 2018-03-19

None

Good Boucher

Lean Ground Beef

510 g

Lot: 18-03-07
Best before: 2018-03-21

None

Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled ground beef and developed symptoms of E. coli poisoning should immediately seek medical attention and tell their doctors about the possible exposure to the pathogen. Specific lab tests but be conducted to diagnose food poisoning.

Symptoms of E. coli infection can include nausea, vomiting, mild to severe abdominal cramps and watery to bloody diarrhea. In severe cases of illness, some people may have seizures or strokes, need blood transfusions and kidney dialysis or live with permanent kidney damage. The infection and complications are sometimes fatal.

High risk groups for severe illness and complications include young children, older and/or frail adults, pregnant women and people with suppressed immune systems such as diabetics, HIV patients, transplant recipients and cancer patients.

]]>http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/ground-beef-for-meal-kit-company-recalled-after-e-coli-test/feed/0Australia, S. Africa post high fatality rates in Listeria outbreakshttp://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/australia-s-africa-post-high-fatality-rates-in-listeria-outbreaks/
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/australia-s-africa-post-high-fatality-rates-in-listeria-outbreaks/#respondMon, 19 Mar 2018 04:01:19 +0000http://www.foodsafetynews.com/?p=149033Continue Reading]]>The Australian and South African listeriosis outbreaks have one thing in common — fatality rates as high as 26 to 28 percent.

Health officials in Victoria, Australia, late last week announced the death of a man in his 80s as the fifth fatality in the country’s listeriosis outbreak. Two others who lost their lives from eating rockmelon, referred to as cantaloupe in the United States, were also Victoria residents. The two others were from Sydney.

Australia’s listeriosis outbreak so far involves 19 confirmed cases, including eight cases in Victoria, six in New South Wales (NSW), four in Queensland, and one in Tasmania. Mostly elderly Australians are infected. The average of the outbreak victims is 78.

Microbiological testing linked the latest death of the Victoria man to the outbreak, along with a recent miscarriage, also in Victoria. Lydia Buchtmann, the spokeswoman for the Food Safety Information Council, says more cases linked to the listeria contamination of rockmelon are likely because the pathogen has an incubation period as long as 70 days. All 19 confirmed cases involve people who ate rockmelon before a recall was initiated.

The NSW Food Authority named the Rombola Family Farm in the Riverina area as the likely source of the contaminated melons. The farm halted production and recalled its melons.

Australian growers anticipate the outbreak will result in new requirements once the NSW Food Authority completes its investigation.

South Africa’s outbreak continues to kill

This chart shows the age distribution and outcome of laboratory-confirmed cases of listeriosis identified from 01 Jan. 1, 2017, to March 12, 2018. N=946 where age was reported.Source: South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases

In the much more massive listeriosis outbreak in South Africa, the fatality rate is running at 18 to 28 percent.

The lower number measures the 183 deaths against all Listeria cases going back to Jan. 1, 2017.

Using only the 649 illnesses caused by the outbreak strain results in the higher fatality rate. Other outbreak strains could be identified as investigators continue testing.

South Africa’s listeriosis outbreak is the largest on record, according to the World Health Organization. The source of that outbreak is a low cost processed meat known as “polony.”

The elderly, children, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems along are most likely to be victims of listeriosis poisoning. Outbreak fatality rates typically range from 20 to 40 percent.

A total of thirty cases of Salmonella illness linked to poultry, including frozen raw breaded chicken products, are being reported in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick Yet no recall warnings are yet associated with this outbreak.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is collaborating with provincial public health agencies, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Health Canada to investigate an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections. The human illnesses are linked to poultry products including frozen raw breaded chicken.The investigation is ongoing, and this public health notice will be updated on a regular basis as the investigation evolves.

Health experts say the risk to Canadians is low. Salmonella is commonly found in raw chicken and frozen raw breaded chicken products. Illnesses can be avoided if safe food handling, preparation and cooking practices are followed when preparing these types of food products.

This outbreak is turning into a reminder to properly handle, cook and store poultry, including frozen breaded chicken products to avoid getting sick. Frozen raw breaded chicken products contain raw poultry and should be handled and prepared no differently from other raw poultry products.

Canadians are advised to follow cooking instructions carefully and verify the internal temperature after cooking before consuming these products. Frozen raw breaded chicken products and raw poultry pieces must be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 74°C (165°F) to ensure they are safe to eat. Whole poultry must be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 82°C (180°F).

Currently, there are 30 cases of Salmonella Enteritidis illness in four provinces: Alberta (2), Ontario (17), Quebec (7), and New Brunswick (4). Four individuals have been hospitalized. Individuals became sick between May 2017 and February 2018. The average age of cases is 32 years, with ages ranging from 1 to 73 years. The majority of cases (57 percent) are male.

Based on the investigation findings to date, exposure to poultry, including frozen raw breaded chicken products has been identified as a source of illness. Several individuals who became ill reported consuming a mix of poultry and frozen raw breaded chicken products. CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation into a source of the outbreak.

Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection, but infants, children, seniors and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are more fragile.

Most people who become ill from a Salmonella infection will recover fully after a few days. It is possible for some people to be infected with the bacteria and not get sick or show any symptoms, but still be able to spread the infection to others.

Frozen raw breaded chicken products may appear to be pre-cooked or browned but they contain raw chicken and should be handled and prepared no differently from other raw poultry products.

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before and after handling all types of raw poultry.

Always follow package cooking instructions. Cook poultry to a safe internal temperature that has been checked using a digital thermometer. Raw poultry pieces should be cooked to an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). Whole poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 82°C (180°F).

Eggs and egg-based foods should be fully cooked to ensure they are safe to eat.

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before and after handling frozen raw breaded chicken products.

Use a separate plate, cutting board and utensils when handling frozen raw breaded chicken products to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria.

Do not re-use the same plate, cutting board or utensils on breaded chicken products after they have been cooked, unless the plate has been thoroughly washed.

Use a digital food thermometer to verify that frozen raw breaded chicken products have reached at least 74°C (165°F). Insert the digital food thermometer through the side of the product, all the way to the middle. Oven-safe meat thermometers that are designed for testing whole poultry and roasts during cooking are not suitable for testing nuggets, strips or burgers.

Symptoms of a Salmonella infection, called salmonellosis, typically start 6 to 72 hours after exposure to Salmonella bacteria from an infected animal or contaminated product.

Symptoms include:

fever

chills

diarrhea

abdominal cramps

a headache

nausea

vomiting

These symptoms usually last for four to seven days. In healthy people, salmonellosis often clears up without treatment. In some cases, severe illness and hospitalization may occur. People who are infected with Salmonella bacteria can be infectious from several days to several weeks. People who experience symptoms, or who have underlying medical conditions, should contact their healthcare provider if they suspect they have a Salmonella infection.

]]>http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/slow-burning-salmonella-outbreak-over-chicken-troubles-canada/feed/0Health minister fears world’s worst listeriosis outbreak has yet to peakhttp://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/health-minister-fears-worlds-worst-listeriosis-outbreak-has-yet-to-peak/
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/health-minister-fears-worlds-worst-listeriosis-outbreak-has-yet-to-peak/#respondFri, 16 Mar 2018 04:09:51 +0000http://www.foodsafetynews.com/?p=148988Continue Reading]]>The world’s worst listeriosis outbreak is not over and will likely sicken others in his country and throughout the region, according to South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.

And during the past week, Nambia reported its first listeriosis case had sent a resident of that nation to the hospital in a severe condition. “We are just at the beginning, and we must expect other cases to emerge,” warned Motsoaledi.

In the latest situational update, the outbreak has claimed 183 deaths among a total of 978 confirmed listeriosis cases. The Centre for Enteric Diseases (CED), Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response, Outbreak Response Unit (ORU), and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD)/ National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) produced the update.

Ten days ago, Minister Motsoaledi announced his finding that a Tiger Brands Enterprise Food production facility is Polokwane, South Africa is the source of the current outbreak. Tiger Brands has since acknowledged the health department report confirming the presence of the ST6 outbreak strain in its Polokwane facility.

“Polony” and other low-priced processed meats were removed from grocery store counters throughout the country.

South Africa health authorities fear Listeria and cross contamination. The ready-to-eat meats are a favorite protein source of the country’s poor.

Experts say cases of listeriosis will continue to occur up to four weeks or longer after the recall of the all the implicated foodstuffs, as the incubation period for listeriosis can be as long as 21 days with a reported maximum of 70 days.

March 8 was the date of the last outbreak-related death. The outbreak’s current fatality rate is 27 percent. Almost seven in ten have required hospital care.

The hardest hit area is South Africa’s northern province of Gauteng, which includes both the cities of Pretoria and Johannesburg. Health clinics in the region report a 50 percent increase in walk-in patients who want tests or assurances about Listeria.

As of March 12, 2018, NICD has counted 978 laboratory-confirmed listeriosis cases from all South African provinces since January 1, 2017. Listeria illnesses in 2017 totaled 748, and 230 so far in 2018.

When reported, females accounted for 56 percent of the cases. Ages range from birth to 92 years (median 19 years), and 42 percent are neonates aged less than 28 days. Of neonatal cases, 96 percent had an early-onset disease (birth to ≤6 days).

Gauteng Province accounted for 59 percent of the cases, followed by 12 percent from the Western Cape, and 7 percent from the KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

The outbreak impacts both public and private healthcare sectors. Public facilities account for 65 percent of the cases, and private facilities figure at 35 percent.

Blood cultures were positive for Listeria monocytogenes in 720 of the 978 cases or 73 percent of the specimens. While 211 or 22 percent, positive Listeria results were found in the cerebrospinal fluid. In about 7 percent of the cases, positive results turned up from stool samples, pus, abscesses, or other liquids.

Among the neighboring countries now banning imports of South African processed meats are Kenya, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zambia. Some have also blocked dairy products and fruits and vegetables. Botswana has recalled South African products, and Malawi is doing an additional screening of such imports.

Such actions are putting South Africa’s processed meat industry under pressure. The country’s “Red Meat Industry Forum” has charged “Listeria hysteria” fed by “misinformation” is having a devastating impact on both the processed meat industry and the entire red meat industry.

]]>http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/health-minister-fears-worlds-worst-listeriosis-outbreak-has-yet-to-peak/feed/0USDA gives gives green light to raw pork from Northern Irelandhttp://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/usda-gives-gives-green-light-to-raw-pork-from-northern-ireland/
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/usda-gives-gives-green-light-to-raw-pork-from-northern-ireland/#respondWed, 14 Mar 2018 04:04:01 +0000http://www.foodsafetynews.com/?p=148933Continue Reading]]>Northern Ireland’s raw pork exports to the United States may continue after a favorable on-site audit of that country’s meat inspection system by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

FSIS let Northern Ireland’s Chief Veterinarian Robert Huey know the draft final report of the audit was available by letter on Jan. 3, 2018 and the agency published both the letter and draft final report on the agency’s website on March 12.

FSIS auditors conducted their on-site examination of Northern Ireland’s meat inspection system from Sept. 18 to Sept. 26, 2017. The Belfast exit meeting with the Irish authorities, which FSIS refers to as the Central Competent Authority or CCA, was held on the final day.

“The FSIS auditor concluded that Northern Ireland’s meat inspection system is organized to provide ultimate control, supervision, and enforcement of regulatory requirements,” according to the draft final report. “The CCA has implemented sanitary operating procedures and a HACCP system to ensure controls of the meat inspection system. Also, the CCA has implemented a microbiological and chemical residue testing programs that are organized and administered by the national to verify its system. An analysis of each component did not identify any systemic findings representing an immediate threat to public health.”

According to FSIS, the purpose of the audit was to determine whether Northern Ireland’s food safety system governing meat remains equivalent to that of the United States, with the ability to export products that are safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and correctly labeled and packaged.

At present, Northern Ireland is eligible to export raw pork products to the United States.

The six system equivalence components that were the focus of the audit are:

(1) Government Oversight (e.g., Organization and Administration)

(2) Government Statutory Authority and Food Safety and Other Consumer Protection Regulations (e.g., Inspection System Operation, Product Standards and Labeling, and Humane Handling)

(3) Government Sanitation

(4) Government Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) System

(5) Government Chemical Residue Testing Programs

(6) Government Microbiological Testing Programs.

And FSIS outlined the bottom line this way:

The FSIS auditor concluded that Northern Ireland’s meat inspection system is organized to provide ultimate control, supervision, and enforcement of regulatory requirements.

The CCA has implemented sanitary operating procedures and a HACCP system to ensure controls of the meat inspection system.

In addition, the CCA has implemented a microbiological and chemical residue testing programs that are organized and administered by the national to verify its system.

An analysis of each component did not identify any systemic findings representing an immediate threat to public health.

]]>http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/usda-gives-gives-green-light-to-raw-pork-from-northern-ireland/feed/0Melon grower responsible for Australian listeriosis outbreak namedhttp://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/melon-grower-responsible-for-australian-listeriosis-outbreak-named/
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/melon-grower-responsible-for-australian-listeriosis-outbreak-named/#respondWed, 14 Mar 2018 04:03:39 +0000http://www.foodsafetynews.com/?p=148920Continue Reading]]>Percolating since January, the Australian listeriosis outbreak linked to rockmelons resulted in four deaths out of 17 confirmed cases before authorities named the grower that produced the contaminated cantaloupe. The outbreak also isn’t likely over as Listeria is known for its long incubation period, meaning it can take several weeks after exposure before any symptoms are experienced.

The New South Wales (NSW) Food Authority says it is working with Rombola Family Farms, located in the Riverina agricultural region of Southwestern NSW, on the exact cause of the deadly outbreak.

FRANZ’s Feb 28th statement said the NSW Food Authority was “working with the grower” to remove contaminated melons from the supply chain and consumers should throw away any they had at home. The NSW investigation is expected to result in some new food safety requirements for growers, who will likely embrace the changes in hopes of rebuilding their lost business both in Australia and overseas.

As demand for Australian rockmelon collapsed since the recall warning, it was the industry that pressured the NSW Food Authority to name the responsible grower.

“I know that growers would like the NSW Food Authority to name that grower,” said the Australian Melon Association’s Diane Fullelove. She believes only the one grower is producing bad melons.

On its website, Rombola Family Farms claims to be “one of the biggest melon growers in Australia!” Rombola Family Farms encompasses about 10,000 acres and employs up to 200 seasonal contract employees.

“The Rombola Family have been farming for over ﬁfty years since arriving in Australia from Calabria, Italy in the 1950’s,” according to its website. “The family was part of a large group of Italian migrants who helped transform the Riverina and surrounding areas into a dynamic, enterprising agricultural region.”

Food safety experts, however, say naming the responsible grower is not enough if Australia wants to win back consumer confidence. Dr. Douglas Powell, who writes from Australia for the popular Barfblog, says all growers must address “the basic elements of any on-farm food safety program.”

Two years ago, the 300 growers that comprise Australia’s melon industry were left reeling when the NSW Food Authority linked “a spike in Salmonella Hvittingfoss cases” to Red Dirt Melons grown in the Northern Territories. About 100 Australians were sickened, but survived, and the melon industry only recently recovered.

Listeriosis is the illness caused by consuming food contaminated with the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. Cantaloupes or rockmelons, cold meats, raw seafood, soft cheeses, sprouts and both vegetable and fruit salads are among the foods most often contaminated by the Listeria bacteria.

]]>http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/melon-grower-responsible-for-australian-listeriosis-outbreak-named/feed/090 percent of farmers in Ireland unaware of animal pathogenshttp://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/survey-shows-farmers-in-ireland-need-more-education-on-animal-to-human-infections/
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/survey-shows-farmers-in-ireland-need-more-education-on-animal-to-human-infections/#respondTue, 13 Mar 2018 04:00:28 +0000http://www.foodsafetynews.com/?p=148877Continue Reading]]>Nine out of 10 farmers in Ireland are unaware that healthy animals can be a source of infection people, including their families. More than half don’t know that they can pick up diseases from sick poultry or pets, according to a survey.

Further, more than 40 percent of more than 1,000 Irish farmers surveyed drink unpasteurized milk at least once a week, indicating they continue to potentially expose themselves and their families to pathogenic organisms in their milk, The Irish Examiner reported.

The survey done to determine farmers’ knowledge of the risk of spread of infection was published in the journal Epidemiology and Infection. It found that farmers younger than 45 are more likely than older farmers to know what zoonosis is – the possibility of catching an infection from healthy or sick livestock and pets.

According to Epi-Insight, an online publication from the Health Protection Surveillance Center, Ireland’s agency for the surveillance of communicable diseases, 60 percent of all pathogens that make people sick — viruses, bacteria, prion or funguses — are zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted naturally from vertebrate animals to humans.

Zoonoses are transmitted by consuming contaminated foods or beverages, bites, scratches, inhalation or skin contact. Indirect transmission can take place through contact with contaminated clothing or shoes, animal bedding, flooring, barriers and other environmental surfaces such as countertops.

The survey did show that farmers in Ireland know the risk to pregnant women of infection from birthing animals is high – 88 percent. Farmers older than 45 are more likely to identify aborting animals as a source of infection in people.

Of the farmers surveyed, 93 percent reported washing their hands before eating or smoking while on the farm. But a third said they don’t wear jumpsuits or wet gear while working. Of those who do wear protective clothing, nearly one quarter said they don’t take it off before going into their homes. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland recommends that farm work clothes or footwear not be worn in the home because they can spread E. coli and other pathogens and residues.

Almost three-quarters of 1,044 farmers surveyed said they get their drinking water from private wells, and of those, 62 percent said they test that water less than once a year.

The Environmental Protection Agency of Ireland has reported that 25 percent of groundwater supplies there are contaminated with fecal coliforms. It recommends annual testing of private well water for bacterial contamination.

The survey results illustrate the need for further education to increase the awareness of potential biohazards from livestock and practical measures that can be taken to mitigate the risk of zoonotic infection, according to the report by Sarah Doyle and Marrita Mahon of Health Protection Surveillance Center South East.

“The fact that most farmers accessed information on diseases on the farm from multiple sources, suggests that a multi-faceted, One Health approach to infectious disease prevention in the farming community is merited,” they said.

One Health is a unified human and veterinary approach to combat zoonotic diseases.

]]>http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/survey-shows-farmers-in-ireland-need-more-education-on-animal-to-human-infections/feed/0FDA finding could reinstate cross-Atlantic shellfish tradehttp://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/fda-finding-could-reinstate-cross-atlantic-shellfish-trade/
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/fda-finding-could-reinstate-cross-atlantic-shellfish-trade/#respondTue, 13 Mar 2018 04:00:03 +0000http://www.foodsafetynews.com/?p=148897Continue Reading]]>Imported molluscan shellfish from Europe are as safe as if they were harvested off Puget Sound or Massachusetts Bay, according to a Food and Drug Administration finding. FDA’s equivalence determination means two-way raw shellfish trade across the Atlantic is likely to be back on after a lapse of almost eight years.

“I plan to announce more over the coming year about this proposed equivalence determination as we continue to work with the EU (European Union) on the details for resuming mutually beneficial trade in this area,” said a statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb.

“In the meantime, I’m committed to taking new approaches like this to maximize our shared resources and create greater efficiency in the trade of molluscan shellfish.”

The U.S. and EU have not traded any raw molluscan shellfish products for nearly eights years. The European Commission has not allowed U.S. shellfish to enter the EU since 2010. The FDA has not permitted the import of live, fresh or fresh-frozen molluscan shellfish from the EU since the 1980s.

“In order to help break down this trade barrier and ensure the safety of imported shellfish products in both markets, the U.S. and the EU have been actively working to move an equivalence determination process forward,” Gottlieb said in the announcement.

The FDA and the EU have “set in motion steps that will allow molluscan shellfish trade – or what you may know as clams, mussels, oysters, and scallops, among others – between the U.S. and the EU for the first time in years,” according to the FDA commissioner.

Specifically, the FDA has published a proposed determination that the safety controls in the EU are equivalent to U.S. regulations. In a separate but complementary action, the European Commission is completing administrative procedures for its own proposed determination that U.S. safety controls are equivalent to those in the EU, a necessary step toward resuming trade.

The FDA commissioner says the bilateral effort shows that food safety and market access can go hand-in-hand. It’s another great case of the “FDA collaborating with U.S. trade agencies and working with a trusted international partner to better prioritize resources, ensure food safety and facilitate mutually beneficial trade,” according to Gottlieb.

According to the Brookings Institution, the American seafood industry contributes more than $90 billion to the U.S. economy and supports about 1.5 million jobs. Fish products account for more than $5 billion in the total value of U.S. exports, and roughly one-third of that is shellfish. With a 6 percent share of global trade, the U.S. represents the sixth-largest supplier of fish and seafood products to the world market.

According to Gottlieb, progress toward resuming two-way shellfish trade is a result of a multi-year, in-depth and cooperative review of shellfish safety systems in the U.S. and the EU. Technical experts on both sides of the Atlantic have concluded that many of the safety controls in the EU and the U.S are equivalent. Both governments recommended these actions after reviewing existing food safety programs, safety measures for molluscan shellfish, and on-site audits to verify each other’s systems.

Gottlieb says the proposed shellfish equivalence determination will help to unlock economic opportunity for both U.S. and EU exporters by creating new market access as well as making a wider selection of healthy and safe shellfish options available to consumers.

“It will also ensure American consumers that imported molluscan shellfish from Europe is as safe as what we produce in the U.S,” he said.

The U.S. and the EU worked with individual states and European countries to determine interest in participating in the initial equivalence evaluation, which required them to be subject to on-site audits.

The FDA worked with the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference as well as the Pacific Coast and East Coast shellfish associations to identify interested U.S. states that volunteered to participate. If the determination becomes final, Massachusetts and Washington state will once again be able to send bivalve molluscan shellfish to the European market – a first since 2010.

Shellfish exporters from Spain and the Netherlands will also be able to sell raw bivalve shellfish in the U.S. market – a first since the 1980s.

These states and countries are just the first, and we are committed to continuing to work with the EU on procedures to add more states and European countries, Gottlieb said. We share a goal to see other U.S. states subsequently added to the list of eligible exporters in an efficient way, following the completion of this important step.

]]>http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/fda-finding-could-reinstate-cross-atlantic-shellfish-trade/feed/0A Spoor-Marler team plans class action for South African listeria victimshttp://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/a-spoor-marler-team-plans-class-action-for-south-african-listeria-victims/
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/a-spoor-marler-team-plans-class-action-for-south-african-listeria-victims/#respondSun, 11 Mar 2018 05:03:05 +0000http://www.foodsafetynews.com/?p=148845Continue Reading]]>Prominent American food safety attorney Bill Marler went to South Africa as a conference speaker on the country’s listeria outbreak, but he’s returning to the USA in his familiar role as an advocate for the victims.

South African human rights lawyer Richard Spoor says he teamed up with Marler and the food safety law firm of Marler Clark to bring a class action lawsuit against Tiger Brands on behalf of those sickened in the world’s most massive listeria outbreak. Marler Clark attorneys are not licensed to practice law in South Africa but will serve as food safety consultants in the litigation.

Richard Spoor told South African media that he expects to launch the class action in two to three weeks. Marler Clark will bring its expertise to the Richard Spoor Incorporated Attorneys in South Africa.

Previously Spoor led legal action against gold mine owners on behalf of miners with the fatal lung disease silicosis, requiring the companies to pay $425 million in compensation. Marler Clark has won about $650 million for victims of foodborne illness in the United States.

The listeria outbreak has rocked South Africa, sickening nearly 1000 people and resulting in at least 180 deaths. After months of investigation, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on March 4 said two brands of polony by Tiger Brands Enterprise Foods and Rainbow chicken were likely source of the listeriosis.

Tiger Brands CEO Lawrence MacDougall has made a point of saying there is no link between his company’s products and any of the deaths. Its production facilities in Germiston and Polokwane remained closed, and the company has participated in the processed meat recall as suggested by the government.

And, on March 9, the government provided Tiger Brands with documentation of the presence of the outbreak strain, ST6, in the Polokwane plant.

Spoor says National Institute of Communicable Disease research conducted over many months leaves he and Marler “absolutely convinced and satisfied that we have a very strong case against Tiger Brands.” He says the goal of the class action lawsuit is to bring “justice to the victims.”

In addition to his role as managing partner of the Marler Clark law firm, Bill Marler is also the founder and publisher of Food Safety News.

]]>http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/a-spoor-marler-team-plans-class-action-for-south-african-listeria-victims/feed/0Is broken Brazil responsible for sickened South Africa?http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/is-broken-brazil-responsible-for-sickened-south-africa/
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/is-broken-brazil-responsible-for-sickened-south-africa/#respondFri, 09 Mar 2018 05:00:23 +0000http://www.foodsafetynews.com/?p=148800Continue Reading]]>Is there a link between the world’s worst listeriosis outbreak in South Africa and Brazil’s broken and scandal-plagued meat and poultry industries?

And could that link be something called “white slime?”

Before there were any answers to these questions or others, South African’s health minister promised the Parliament that the government would provide “all the information … all the data” to those members of the community who want to litigate.”

It’s been a week since the country and the world learned that at least two South African processed meat producers are responsible for 948 laboratory-confirmed cases of listeriosis and 180 deaths. The country is still reeling. The outbreak is the largest ever recorded on the planet, according to the World Health Organization.

This 3D illustration of Listeria monocytogenes shows the gram-positive bacterium with flagella.

The small, radical socialist party, Black First Land First, went so far as to drop murder charges off at the Hillbrow Police Station. Party leader Andile Mngxitama said the outbreak deaths amount to “murder.” He said Enterprise Foods was complicit in a corporate cover-up and merits murder charges.

The Listeria monocytogenes outbreak strain, known as ST6, was found in the Polokwane processing plant operated the Tiger Brands subsidiary of Enterprise Foods. More than 16 environmental samples taken at the facility were positive for ST6.

Tiger Brands recalled all of its Enterprise ready-to-eat meat products and “amplified its testing for listeria.” It claims not to have yet confirmed the presence of ST6 but did find another “low detection strain” in February.

Officials suspect they are also going to find Listeria monocytogenes SY6 at Rainbow Chicken Limited (RCL) Foods. It ceased production at its plant located in Wolwehoek. The health department is awaiting test results. Rainbow recalled all its “polony” products.

As for Brazil and “white slime,” it’s a theory by a South African meat scientist. Here’s how it goes.

South African meat processors must produce a product that is 75 percent “meat equivalent” under a law that dates back to the 1970s. The “meat equivalent” determination involves the amount of nitrogen present. Any protein is acceptable —soy, pork fat or mechanically deboned chicken.

Mechanically deboned chicken, sometimes called “white slime,” is a popular choice. In other words, pureed chicken bits that may contain small pieces of bone, are spun into a paste that is used to make processed meats.

South Africa imported more than 445 million pounds of “while slime” in 2017. Most of it came from Brazil. That’s why meat Professor Louw Hoffman thinks it is possible the ST6 strain of Listeria monocytogenes behind the outbreak in South Africa “may have originated from overseas.”

Numerous countries, including the United States, have banned Brazilian meat and poultry because of the country’s ongoing food safety scandal, which most recently has involved laboratories faking test results.

The University of Stellenbosch’s Hoffman said South African polony and viennas contain the imported chicken substance to keep prices down for low-income populations needing an affordable protein source.

Through its embassy in Pretoria, Brazil denies it has any involvement in the South African outbreak. South Africa just began testing imported meat for Listeria on Jan. 9.

“White slime” is likely a naming spin-off from “pink slime,” which was a very controversial nickname for “lean finely textured beef” produced by Beef Products Inc. in Dakota Dunes, SD.

Hoffman first shared his suspicions about the root source of the Listeria with Helena Wasserman of Business Insider SA.

]]>http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/is-broken-brazil-responsible-for-sickened-south-africa/feed/0More fraud in Brazil food industry; labs falsified pathogen testshttp://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/brazilian-tainted-meat-scandal-resurfaces/
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/brazilian-tainted-meat-scandal-resurfaces/#respondThu, 08 Mar 2018 05:01:47 +0000http://www.foodsafetynews.com/?p=148753Continue Reading]]>Brazilian police made new arrests this week in an investigation into a meat scandal that erupted last year. This time the target of “Operation Weak Flesh” is laboratories accused of covering up salmonella in products from food giant BRF SA, also known as Brazil Foods.

Photo illustration

“The investigation showed that five laboratories and the company’s analysis departments falsified results” shown to health inspectors, federal police said in a statement reported by New Vision news.

Brazilian Agriculture Ministry representative Alexandre Campos da Silva said the department received 410 notifications of salmonella presence from 12 countries that imported the meat in question last year, 80 percent of which were in the EU.

Monday’s sweep — the third since the scandal was uncovered — involved 270 police officers and 21 health agents across five Brazilian states.

Federal Police Commissioner Mauricio Boscardi Grillo said 10 of 11 people targeted with arrest warrants were detained, including Pedro de Andrade Faria the former CEO of Brazil Foods. The business is one of the largest food companies in the world, exporting products, primarily meat, to more than 120 countries.

During the first stage of the investigation in March 2017, widespread corruption was uncovered among food safety inspectors who certified rotten meat in exchange for bribes.

Brazil’s huge export industry has been thrown into disarray as countries have temporarily banned imports of its beef and poultry. Accusations included sales of spoiled food and meat tainted with materials like cardboard and acid.

Last year, results of a two-year probe came to light when federal authorities revealed how meatpackers paid off the inspectors and politicians, including the Brazilian president, to overlook improper practices.

The newest development in the probe comes as Brazil’s once-tottering economy improves and its stock market posts one of the world’s best rallies. So far, investors have been mostly unfazed, but the scandals could cause more volatility ahead of October’s presidential election, in which many of the potential candidates have been accused of corruption.

The resurfacing of the so-called Operation Weak Flesh investigation comes after processed foods and poultry giant BRF has seen four chief executive officers in five years. Its shareholders are at odds over how to revive the company and are looking to replace the board. The stock lost 20 percent of its value Monday, the most since 1998, according to Bloomberg.

BRF said in a statement that issues being investigated by police pose no health threat and that the company follows all domestic and international regulations regarding food safety.

Editor’s note: This opinion column was originally posted on barfblog.com on March 7, 2018.

I’ve always believed in don’t complain, create.

When I didn’t like the university newspaper I was editor of, I created my own — along with others.

When I didn’t like my higher education, I created my own path to a PhD.

I created my own professoring job — with lots of help from others — and have sorta done my own thing.

So while I’m somewhat beaten with the broken ribs, I still have some spirit.

With Listeria-in-cantaloupe spreading across Australia, I got excited and wrote an op-ed on Monday before lunch.

Amy (Doug’s wife) edited, just like the old days, and I sent it off to the Sydney Morning Herald.

They said they were interested and then — nothing.

Today, with news of a fourth death and more illnesses, I asked again if they were interested.

Nothing.

That’s cool, I have a nostalgia for print and the smell of ink, and I have no doubt print is vanishing. That’s one reason why we made our own publishing outlet, barfblog.com, in 2005 because, “Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one,” to quote A. J. Liebling.

Here’s the op-ed. And yes, PR flunkies should be paying me for this advice.

On Sept. 9, 2011, reports first surfaced of an outbreak of Listeria linked to cantaloupe – known as rock melons in Australia — grown in Colorado. Already two were dead and seven others sick.

By the end of the outbreak, 33 people were killed and at least 140 sickened.

On Aug. 17, 2012, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control announced an outbreak of Salmonella linked to cantaloupe that ultimately killed three people and sickened 270 in 26 states.

In Australia, a fourth death has now been linked to the Listeria-in-rockmelon outbreak, and the number of sick people has risen to 13.

Already, an Australian rockmelon grower is saying “misinformation” about the listeria outbreak will have a negative impact on growers.

Rather than misinformation, there is a lack of information required to regain consumer confidence and trust.

Sadly, the number of dead and sick will probably grow, because Listeria has an incubation period of up to six weeks. The melon you ate five weeks ago could make you sick with listeriosis tomorrow.
This is not misinformation, it’s biology.

Australian media reports that the Listeria contamination is on the rockmelon surface but I have yet to see any verification of that statement. Under a microscope the exterior of a rockmelon looks like a lunar surface of hills and craters, a soft porous skin which microbes can easily cross.

Regardless of how careful a consumer is while cutting rockmelon, bacteria like Listeria, on the outside or inside, are going to be in the final product.

This means everything has to be done to reduce the risk of contamination beginning on the farm.

On a trip to the local Woolies this morning, I found no rockmelon, however some was available in fresh-cut mixed fruit packages. Shouldn’t those also have been pulled? I asked a stocker where the rockmelons were and he said there were none because of the recall. There was no information posted in the shelf-space that previously held rockmelon.

Us mere mortals, those who like rockmelon, have no information on the size of the farm involved in the outbreak, how often water was tested for dangerous bugs, what kind of soil amendments like manure may have been used, whether the melons went into a dump tank of water after harvest to clean them up, whether that water contained chlorine or some other anti-microbial and how often that water was tested, whether there was a rigorous employee handwashing program, whether the crates the melons were packed in were clean, whether melons were transported at a cool temperature — won’t help with Listeria, it grows at 4 degrees Celsius — and so on.

These are the basic elements of any on-farm food safety program, which my laboratory started developing over 20 years ago for fresh produce in Canada.

These are the questions that need to be answered by any supplier of rockmelon before I would buy again.

The 2011 and 2012 U.S. outbreaks were the result of familiar factors to food safety types: seemingly minor issues synergistically combined to create ideal conditions for Listeria or Salmonella to contaminate, grow and spread on the cantaloupe. There was no overriding factor, and there is no magic solution, other than constant awareness and diligence to the microorganisms that surround us.

Eric Jensen, the fourth-generation produce grower at the centre of the 2011 Listeria-in-cantaloupe outbreak told a reporter once the outbreak was “something Mother Nature did. We didn’t have anything to do with it.”

I’ve yet to see divine intervention as a cause of foodborne illness. Instead, illnesses and outbreaks are frighteningly consistent in their underlying causes: a culmination of a small series of mistakes that, over time, results in illness and death. After-the-fact investigations usually conclude, why didn’t this happen earlier, with all the mistakes going on?

So while retailers ask themselves, why did we rely on such lousy food safety assurances, it would bolster consumer confidence if there was any public indication that Australian rockmelon growers had learned anything from past outbreaks, at home and abroad.

Tying a brand or commodity – rockmelon, lettuce, tomatoes, meat — to the lowest common denominator of government inspections is a recipe for failure. The Pinto automobile also met government standards but that didn’t help much in the court of public opinion.

The best growers, processors and retailers will far exceed minimal government standards, will proactively test to verify their food safety systems are working, will transparently publicize those results and will brag about their excellent food safety by marketing at retail so consumers can actually choose safe food.

Douglas Powell is a former professor of food safety at Kansas State University who publishes the food safety blog, barfblog.com from his home in Brisbane.

Laura Strawn of Virginia Tech was one of the workshop presenters at the 2017 IAFP conference in Tampa. Her research interests focus on enhanced microbial safety of produce production at both the pre- and post-harvest level.

The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) has announced the workshop lineup for its annual conference, set for this summer, and will begin taking workshop registrations March 20.

The event is set for July 8-11 in Salt Lake City.

The IAFP hosts the annual event to provide information on current and emerging food safety issues, the latest science, and innovative solutions to new and recurring problems. The conference provides the opportunity to network with thousands of food safety professionals from academia, government and industry from around the globe. Additionally, attendees can register to attend one or more of the following conference workshops:

Topics include: An Introduction to Biofilms and Laboratory Growth Reactors, Adapting Standardized Biofilm Growth Methods for Other Bacteria, Important Considerations for Lab Studies with Biofilm, Keepin’ it Real: The Statistical R’s of Biofilm Methods, Visualizing Treatment Impacts on Biofilm, Now You’ve Got It, What Do You Do With It

Presenters include representatives from MSU Center for Biofilm Engineering

“Spring break is the perfect time to make memories with family and friends and Stop Foodborne Illness wants to make sure it’s the fun memories that fill up your social media,” says Stop Foodborne Illness CEO, Deirdre Schlunegger.Maintaining basic food safety standards, like washing hands, and adding some travel-specific practices is the best way to ensure foodborne illness won’t interrupt a fun getaway. Check out the Stop Foodborne Illness top tips for food safety during spring break.

All-inclusive resorts have many perks; they are touted as safer, more affordable, ideal for partying and usually include 24/7 buffets. Having unlimited access to food and drink is convenient, but can be potentially dangerous. Buffets serve large amounts of food over long periods of time, meaning there are more opportunities for food to not be kept at consistent, correct temperatures.

Additionally, everyone shares the same serving utensils, increasing the risk of spreading pathogens. Since many all-inclusive resorts also have sit-down dining options on site, Stop Foodborne Illness recommends avoiding the buffet when possible and following these tips when it’s not.

There’s always the possibility that food has not been held at proper temperatures – cold foods (salads, cold cuts, dressings) should be cold and hot foods (soups, meats, fish) should be hot. Any food that’s served at room temperature, and isn’t supposed to be, is within the temperature “danger zone” where bacteria can thrive.

If you’ve gotten away to a warmer climate, remember the one-hour rule. Any perishable foods that have been sitting out beyond one hour when the temperature is higher than 90° F, is not safe to consume. (It’s 2 hours, if the temperature is below 90° F.)

Another source of contamination is when food is mishandled by people with unclean hands. If you see something, say something. Don’t assume anything. And, of course, after a day’s activities, be sure to wash your own hands before eating.

Fresh fruit and vegetables from the buffet can be a great poolside snack but don’t forget to wash and peel the tasty treat before eating. If you’re in an area with unsafe water, wash the produce with bottled or filtered water.

Eating and drinking can be some of the best things about travelling abroad. While “going local” is a delicious way to experience a new cuisine, it can also be an easier way to contract foodborne illness. Stop encourages travelers to be adventurous, but smart when it comes to consuming food in different countries.

Street food is a great way to experience local culture, but often, stalls don’t have the same hygiene standards as restaurants that cater to tourists. Stop Foodborne Illness recommends being aware of this difference and making wise choices when enjoying dishes from local restaurants or street stands.

Avoid establishments where the food handlers don’t practice good hygiene, such as tying back their hair, wearing protective gloves and having clean hands and fingernails.

Be selective when choosing foods. Avoid raw milk and raw milk cheeses, and other raw foods—including undercooked meat and seafood, and uncooked vegetables —as well as foods that require a lot of handling before serving.

Be extra cautions when visiting a remote destination. Turn up the food safety dial a notch; even though you may enjoy certain foods and beverages at home—like rare meat or runny eggs—it’s better to avoid questionable foods while in a different country. (Being sick in a language you don’t know can really complicate matters.)

As they say, half the fun is getting there! When you’re road tripping, in a rental or hopping on a plane, make sure you arrive at your destination safely with safe snacking habits.

Sanitize tray tables, seat armrests and door handles with an 60% alcohol-based wipe. These frequently touched areas are generally made of plastic, a nonporous material that allows germs to live on longer, and have a higher risk of spreading foodborne illness.

Keep food out of the danger zone . Make sure cold food stays cold—at or below 40°F—by packing it in coolers with frozen gel packs or ice. Stop Foodborne Illness suggests packing beverages in one cooler and perishable foods in another since you are likely to grab beverages most often while on the road. Since hot food needs to stay hot—at or above 140°F, Stop Foodborne Illness suggests passing on hot foods and opting instead for peanuts, and other nuts (including nut butters), jelly, crackers, chips, dried fruit, baked goods such as cookies or muffins, granola bars, popcorn, and whole fresh fruits like bananas, apples, and oranges.

Rinse all fresh produce under running tap water (and patting it dry) before packing it in a cooler, including produce with peel-away skins or rinds. Follow this checklist to make sure coolers are packed properly.

Not going anywhere? Enjoy a relaxing staycation at home but don’t let your food safety practices go on a break. The best way to prevent the spread of foodborne illness is to continue following proper food safety.

]]>http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/stop-foodborne-illness-suggests-packing-list-for-spring-break/feed/0Food Safety News publisher on the ground in South Africahttp://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/food-safety-news-publisher-on-the-ground-in-south-africa/
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/03/food-safety-news-publisher-on-the-ground-in-south-africa/#respondWed, 07 Mar 2018 05:00:36 +0000http://www.foodsafetynews.com/?p=148733Continue Reading]]>Bill Marler, the founder and publisher of Food Safety News, prominent food safety advocate, and America’s best-known foodborne illnesses attorney arrives in South Africa today to help push back against the largest Listeria outbreak in history.

Marler will speak Thursday at the Food Focus Listeria Conference in Johannesburg, where South African professionals from government, industry and academia will be strategizing about how to combat Listeria.

South Africa’s Minister of Health, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, Sunday announced that two brands of ready-to-eat meat known as “polony” are responsible for the outbreak that’s infected 948 people and caused 180 deaths.

Marler will address the conference on overall lessons about food safety learned during the past 25 years, and more specifically on America’s deadly Listeria outbreak in 2011, which was caused by contaminated cantaloupe from Jensen Farms in southeast Colorado.

The first of Marler’s two presentations in Johannesburg is entitled: “25 years after Jack-in-the-Box from a lawyer’s perspective.” He is managing partner of Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, based in Seattle. It is the only law firm in the country with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.

Marler became involved in representing victims of foodborne illness as a result of the historic E. coli O157: H7 outbreak linked to Jack-in-the-Box, where he saw victims awarded more than $100 million in settlements.

In the 2011 Listeria outbreak, Marler represented 45 victims, including the families of 28 people who died. He secured nearly $25 million in compensations for his clients.

Marler has seen the Listeria pathogen linked to a variety of foods, including cantaloupe, cheese, celery and milk.

The title for Marler’s Listeria talk is “The ‘Rocky Ford’ Listeria Cantaloupe Outbreak-Listeria from a Patient’s Perspective.” The Food Focus conference is at the Premier Hotel OR Tambo in Johannesburg. Scheduled presentations include:

Food Focus organizes the conference. It is based in Johannesburg and Paris and was founded by Linda Jackson and Adele Krogh, bringing their many years of food industry expertise into a consolidated platform to benefit the industry.

While in South Africa, Marler expects to meet with victims, health officials and the media.

Editor’s note: This is the second time Food Safety News has gone overseas to cover a world record-setting outbreak of foodborne illness. We sent a staff writer to Hamburg, Germany, in 2011 at the height of E. coli O104:H4 outbreak. That involved more than 4,000 illness and 50 deaths in 16 countries.